A public hearing has been scheduled regarding the future of the Bird Creek Bridge on Oklahoma 66 near Catoosa. The westbound Bird Creek Bridge, which dates to 1936, is part of the so-called Twin Bridges part of Route 66 there.
The meeting by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is set for 6 p.m. April 20 at the Catoosa Indian Activity Center at 2000 S. Cherokee, Catoosa, Okla. (map here).
According to a news release and an e-mail I received from Robert B. Bartlett from the state:
The alternatives will be presented and discussed at the public meeting and the public will have an opportunity to ask questions. At the meeting, handouts which will include aerials showing the alternatives under consideration will be available for anyone interested to take home. In addition, the entire presentation will also become available on the Department’s web site the day of the meeting (web link will be provided at the meeting). Comment forms will be available at the meeting and public comments can also be submitted through the Department’s web site for at least 2 weeks (might be extended to 4 weeks) following the meeting. So anyone that can’t attend the meeting can access the same information that will be presented and have an opportunity to comment as well.
Bartlett told me that data from the public hearing would eventually be listed here. I’m hopeful that I can acquire information on what the state has in mind before the meeting.
The fact the state is discussing the possibility of “alternatives” and not just advocating replacing the bridge outright gives me cautious hope. But if repairing the bridge isn’t possible, I’m up for replacing the bridge with a design that resembles the old one.
— Roadside Wonders reports that the famed Amboy Shoe Tree near Amboy, Calif., where Route 66 travelers tossed their old footwear into its branches, has collapsed, and has the photos to prove it. However, another 1.5 miles east, a Lingerie Tree is quickly forming. A new tradition is born, apparently.
— Dr. Caroline Smith, curator of meteorites at the Natural History Museum in London, takes a closer look at Meteor Crater in Arizona for the The Independent newspaper.
— The Route 66 town of Glendora, Calif., seeks to create zoning areas for fortune-tellers. Apparently Glendora has too much time on its hands.
— The Race to the Rocker on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo., a couple of weeks ago raised $12,800 for the track program for Cuba schools. Next year’s race will be March 26.
— Also in Cuba, the city is hosting Spyderfest for Spyder motorcycles is next weekend.